1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an underwater compressed air safety gun for use by scuba divers or others swimming underwater. Since scuba divers or other underwater swimmers carry their own source of compressed air for breathing, it is convenient for an underwater air safety gun to operate directly from such source of compressed air, connecting the air gun to the first stage of a regulator extending from a compressed air tank. The underwater air gun is provided with a coupling device at its distal end for the attachment of various tools, such as a nozzle to direct the flow of the pressurized air. A diver can use the underwater air safety gun, for example, to assist with harvesting lobsters; by inserting its distal end and a portion of its barrel into a lobster's hiding place, by releasing some pressurized air therein and by thus frightening the lobster out of hiding.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It has long been known that in tropical waters, divers have a difficult time catching lobsters, which swim into and under large corals for hiding and protection. It currently is a common practice for scuba divers, in an attempt to startle the lobster out of hiding, to remove from their mouths, the mouth piece and regulator of the scuba diving gear attached to the diver's air supply and while holding the regulator, to insert the mouth piece into the hiding spot and release pressurized air, thereby creating noise and turbulence. Often, the lobster is scared by the noise and the bubbles and as a result, will move out of its hole; it can then be more easily caught by the diver. However, such activity can be dangerous. First, it is possible for the mouth piece to become lodged inside the rocky surfaces of some lobster holes, which would thereby leave the diver underwater without any air supply source. Second, the diver, by inserting his hand and the mouth piece into the hiding spot to release the air, Could be cut by a rocky surface or bitten by an organism living therein such as eel, resulting in injury to the diver. Alternatively, it is also common for some divers to apply sodium hypochlorite or chlorine bleach to some lobster holes in order to drive the lobster out of hiding. However, this practice causes irreparable damage to coral reefs and severe injury if not death to fish and other organisms living in the coral or among the reefs.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of this invention to present an underwater air safety gun which is connected to a compressed air supply such as carried by a scuba diver which can be easily carried and further, which can be used to assist the diver with harvesting lobster more safely and less harmful than which is common practice.
A further object of the invention is to provide for a coupling device at the distal end of the underwater compressed air safety gun so that other types of attachments, aside from a device that releases and directs pressurized air, can also be used. For example, a device which can be used by a diver to inflate an object such as an emergency buoy which once inflated could rise to-the surface to alert or warn someone that the diver is in danger. Additionally, other tools such as a knife, screwdriver, fish prongs, and the like can be attached to the end of the gun barrel.
A further object of the invention is to present an underwater air safety gun which is of simple and lightweight construction but which is also durable and dependable and yet which may be produced at a moderate cost.
These and other objects of the present invention are accomplished by an underwater air safety gun which has a long gun barrel having at one of its ends, handle means attached thereto, and where the distal end of the handle means is provided with means to be pneumatically attached to a hose that also attaches pneumatically to the diver's tank, through which the supply of pressurized air must pass into the underwater air safety gun. The handle means also provides for valve means, operable by hand, to allow the pressurized air to pass through the valve and through the gun barrel. The distal end of the gun barrel is provided with a coupling device to which a nozzle can be attached to release the pressurized air and direct the path of its flow.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall be apparent as the description hereof proceeds and when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.